CISI IFC Online Access

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are traded on exchanges, offering flexibility and lower costs compared to index mutual funds, making them ideal for tracking the energy sector. The feedback from the document states:

"Like stocks, and unlike index mutual funds, ETFs are traded on an exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day. In this way, ETFs provide investors with a flexible way to participate in the performance of the underlying assets without having to acquire the assets directly, incurring high transaction costs. MERs on ETFs also tend to be lower than on other index and actively managed products."

Under Know Your Client (KYC) and suitability rules, advisors must assess not only an investor’s objectives but also their risk tolerance, which directly influences appropriate investment recommendations.

Account type (B), insider status (C), and referral arrangements (D) are relevant for compliance but do not fulfill the suitability obligation.

Fund wraps are managed portfolios with pre-selected asset allocation models, where the wrap sponsor is responsible for allocation decisions. The feedback from the document states:

"A fund wrap program provides a series of portfolios with multiple mutual funds to reflect pre-selected asset allocation models. Each model is designed to meet the needs of a group of investors sharing a similar client profile. Responsibility for the asset allocation decision falls to the wrap sponsor."

Behavioural biases are divided into:

Cognitive biases (errors in thinking, e.g., anchoring, hindsight, overconfidence).

Emotional biases (driven by feelings and instincts).

The status quo bias is considered an emotional behavioural bias, because it arises from an emotional reluctance to change, rather than a logical error.

Therefore, the correct answer is D. Status quo.